Phoebe Gavin complains about the US army’s new regulations on hair and plays the race card with aplomb.
I was immediately and viscerally offended by the leaked presentation slides outlining the change, as was much of theblack Twitterverse.
Good God! There’s a black twatterverse of all things. I didn’t know such a thing existed. Doubtless given some thought, it will change my life forever. Or not…
Anyway, getting all offended because the military insists on certain haircuts is a waste of time. There is a choice – don’t join up or, if you do, accept military regulations.
Larger braids, twists and afros are inexpensive and easy-to-maintain options for women of color with natural hair – civilian or military. Removing these styles for female soldiers of color essentially limits our options to three: chemical straightening, heat straightening or extensions. These styles are expensive, time-consuming and (in the case of chemical straightening) potentially toxic and nearly impossible to maintain in the field.
Or you could just cut it short, which was probably the intended outcome. But if you don’t like it, don’t join up. Their gaff, their rules and the military can be very silly when it comes to petty regulations. That’s why I didn’t join up. What I didn’t do was complain in the Guardian about how unfair it all was and how viscerally offended it made me. But, then, I can’t play the race card…
What on earth is a woman of colour?
It’s the new black.